


Precious Deceit

by TheGoldenGhost



Category: Richard III - Shakespeare
Genre: F/M, Newborn Children, Relationship Problems, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:40:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28124760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGoldenGhost/pseuds/TheGoldenGhost
Summary: Richard of Gloucester will do just about anything to keep his new wife from finding out the circumstances of his birth.
Relationships: Anne Neville Queen of England/Richard III of England
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8
Collections: Histories Ficathon XI





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gersaint](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gersaint/gifts).



> So, my first ever ficathon complete!
> 
> I hope I succeeded in hitting the mark with this one. Admittedly I was surprised to see this as one of the requests but after thinking about it for a little while, I do think Shakespeare's Richard would be an interesting character to play as trans. He's got this whole thing going on in regards to masculinity throughout the play. I'm not sure how you could make it evident in a production without going off the text, but still.
> 
> That said, now isn't the place for academic musings. I hope you enjoy this little piece! Richard and Anne certainly are not enjoying each other, but what else would we expect from the two of them...?

The moon shone full overhead, and the horses’ breath fogged up the air as Richard of Gloucester rode at a close trot alongside his brother, King Edward IV of England. Even after more than a year it still seemed strange to Dick to think of Ed as a king. To Richard, his older brother would always be the loud and swaggering boy who used to taunt him over dinner one moment and protect him from a boyish brawl the next.

All this mattered little. The war, the ascension, Ed’s marriage, Dick’s marriage, Henry’s murder, Rutland’s death. So much in the span of only a handful of years and yet Richard couldn’t remember a time when things weren’t set to go mad at the drop of a hat. In fact, the relative peace that had come about recently made him uneasy.

Even so, riding with his brother, the two of them could talk like they hadn’t been able to since Edward became king. It was a badly-needed outing, and though Richard had expected Ed to want to discuss his own trials as the country’s ruler, instead he’d decided to harp on Richard’s least favorite subject.

“So. When _are_ you going to break the news to her, Dick?”

If anyone other than Edward had put such a question forward, they may have ended up with a dented skull. But this was Edward, and even Richard had to admit that it was a fair query. The trouble was, he just didn’t know the answer.

“Sooner or later. Or maybe never,” Richard said glibly. “Look, what does it matter to Anne? I _know_ she doesn’t want children with me. Oh, maybe she wants babies, sure, but not with me. In fact, I think she rather likes being ignored,” he snorted. “Better than the alternative she expects.” And as far as Richard was concerned, this was true. He spurred his horse forward and trotted ahead, hoping to lose Ed a little and put an end to this unnecessary line of questioning.

“She’s going to want babies, Dick. All wives do, sooner or later. If not for the joy of being mothers, than certainly for the security of having an heir and the pride of being able to show them off. I still say you shouldn’t have married – “

Richard glared at him, a warning not to overstep, but Edward didn’t care. Alone of almost all men, he’d never feared Richard. “ – But you did, and now how you go from here is going to be on your shoulders, brother. I wish you the best of luck in keeping this thing a secret, though, I truly do. But you ought to have told her before you wed her.”

“Like she would have married me then. Ruined my reputation, more like,” Richard grunted. “We may as well just let George tell it. I still regret giving up that land to keep him quiet. About all it landed me was a castle and a Lancaster widow.”

“But a Lancaster widow you went after yourself. Don’t pretend like that wasn’t part of your plan, wasn’t it, Dick?”

“Like hell I could have gotten any other. Anne knew me from childhood, that’s all. There aren’t a great many ladies in England swooning at the thought of wedding a half-formed dog like me, even if I am the king’s brother,” he shrugged. “But I got her. So I won’t complain.”

“You will, and we both know it,” Edward said with a laugh. “But really, you need to tell her. Anne’s a good woman. She’ll be incensed, of course, but she won’t betray you. Besides, doing so would only put her under scrutiny as well.”

Richard gritted his teeth in anger at the very thought of having to give his wife a shred – any shred – of knowledge that she could use against him. He was a careful man, and liked having the odds stacked in his favor. Three hundred to one, those were good odds. Richard didn’t mind a challenge on the battlefield; showing people up in that regard was always a delight to him. But a bed was not a battlefield, and a wife was not a warrior. Putting a trump card right into her hand, well, it just didn’t seem prudent. Still, she’d likely find out sooner or later, if not from him, then from _George_. And that, tempting as it was to pick a fight, would be a fate too shameful to let stand. “Very well,” Richard replied. “I’ll consider it.”

Edward grinned. “That’s the way, Dick. Women prefer honesty, trust me on that.”

“Oh, they do?” Richard replied. He wondered if Elizabeth added her gratefulness for Ed’s honesty to her nightly prayers. Ah, surely. Surely she thanked God that her husband had the respect and courtesy to at least tell her when he was off in bed with some wench. Richard snorted but didn’t voice his thoughts.

“Sure they do,” Edward’s horse began to lag behind and he spurred it lightly on. “I wouldn’t set you down the wrong road on this account, brother. Between you and me, I’m happy for you. I never really thought you’d have the kind of life…” he broke off.

“What kind of life?”

“Nothing, Dick,” Ed said with a slight smile. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Don’t give me that. I want to know.”

“Well, I just never thought you’d be able to have the same life as a regular man,” Ed finished finally. To his credit, he looked Richard in the eye when he said it, but after a moment he turned his horse and rode on, trotting briskly away as though he could mask the tension between them with distance.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne DOES in fact want a baby. Richard? Not so much, for obvious reasons.

It was past eleven o’ clock when Richard decided he should go upstairs and retire to bed. There were a lot of reasons for putting it off, of course. For one, sleep was something that came to him sparsely. For another thing, Anne was there.

He’d married her only two months before. Their wedding was not a happy one, as Anne still resented Richard for playing a part in the deaths of her father and first husband. On Richard’s end, he could not care less what his new wife thought of him. That she had agreed to wed him at all was amazing in itself. He didn’t expect a happy or fruitful marriage, and wasn’t going to try for one. In his eyes, Anne was a mere triviality. She might make a good queen when the day came, and sometimes she was decent at recommending poems, but that was all.

Still, much as he ignored her, he figured eventually she’d catch on to the realities of being wed to him. She hadn’t noticed anything amiss about his body – after all, his deformities were obvious and blatant enough that no one, not even she, would really need to suspect there was anything… further wrong. Surely the hunched back and withered arm would prove unsightly and would prevent her from ever wanting – or worse yet, _trying_ – to see him unclothed. But, as a wife, she seemed to expect that at some point he’d try to sleep with her in the less-than-literal sense. Until now, that was all they had done. Shared a bed, but never made contact physically. She seemed scared and disgusted by him, and as for Richard, he was fine with that. Let her be.

He would not be able to get her pregnant anyway. That much was obvious. But Anne still didn’t know why, and she’d have to eventually learn the truth, even if he had to kill her when it finally came to light.

Anne was already in bed when Richard came in. He figured she would be asleep already and that he would be able to simply slip in next to her without any trouble, but no such luck. “What are you doing up?” her voice broke the stillness of the room.

“I was just coming to bed. It’s late,” Richard grumbled in reply. “No need to make such a fuss about it.”

She was quiet for a moment. He could see, in the dim moonlight, that she was sitting up. Expecting something, maybe. But after a few seconds she lay back down. Richard went to tuck in beside her, keeping a fair enough distance with his back to her, and attempted to sleep.

A few moments later he felt her caressing his back and shuffled over in annoyance. “Do you mind?”

“Richard,” her tone was exasperated. “We’re married.”

“What of it?” he snapped in response. “Hardly any woman can bear to look at me for more than a minute. Even _you_ don’t want me, you just feel like it’s your duty. Well, I want no part of it. Keep it to yourself.”

“Why did you marry me, then?” she demanded. “You could have gotten my lands by force, and your brother the king would have granted you any title you wished. You didn’t need to take a wife you didn’t want.”

Richard just gritted his teeth and ignored her. It did no good, though, as she pressed on. “I don’t understand you. You know this wasn’t my first choice – but I did choose it. And I chose it knowing what would be expected of me and what that would entail. Do you think I don’t know what you look like?”

Richard said nothing.

“Well, I’ve noticed. You’re right. It’s obvious, Richard. But I’m not afraid to look at you. If you frighten me it’s not because your appearance repulses me,” she sighed, again stroking his back. “I don’t know how to get through to you. I’m not going to lie and pretend I’m in love with you like you did with me, because I like to think I’m a better person than that, but by God, I don’t understand why you continue to freeze me out like this. Do I disgust you? Is that it?”

“No,” Richard mumbled. Actually, Anne was a lovely woman, and Richard rather appreciated how other men would stare when he walked by with her at his side – imagine, a man like him getting such a splendid wife! But when it came to actually finding her appealing… there was just nothing. She was like a pretty bauble, that was all.

“Then I simply don’t understand.”

Richard wanted to snap at her and tell her that of _course_ she didn’t understand and she never _would_ understand because she wasn’t worthy of being privy to this. But instead, he decided to placate her, figuring that for the time being it would be easier not to make a complete enemy of her. “I’ve a secret, Anne,” he said.

“What?” She seemed apprehensive. “Richard… do you prefer men?”

“No!” he snapped, irritated that she would even think that. “No… it’s… well, actually, you see, I am unfortunately impotent. A real bother,” he sighed, preparing the lie he’d been planning for a few days now since his conversation with Ned. “I’ve known since I was a teenager. Something about the shape of my body and the way I was born… ah, or perhaps God Above decided that it would be a disgrace for me to breed. Whatever the case, my dear, you’ll never get a baby from me that way.”

She stared at him, and in the dim light it was hard to make out her expression, but she seemed saddened by the news. “I see,” she replied quietly. “Well. I guess that would explain it, then. So… I am to be childless as well as wed to you.”

“I’ll try not to take that as an insult.”

She shook her head and lay down without another word, facing away from him. Richard couldn’t help but think he’d gotten off easily, but something still bothered him about all this. If he was to be king, then who would be his heir, supporting his throne? Edward had a baby son; his own little Ned, and he would surely be the successor unless something tragic were to befall him.

George, of course, would likely disgrace _himself_ one of these days and leave his children with nothing. Richard wasn’t too concerned with his middle brother, honestly. He’d dispatch George when the time came, and easily.

But that would still leave Richard vulnerable with no heirs. Much as he didn’t like to admit it, a child would be good for them. Maybe it would appease Anne, not that he cared, and if any rumors about the condition of Richard’s birth ever did emerge, well. A child would put them to rest, would it not?

Richard began to think.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buckingham gets involved with Richard's plans, partially by his own will.

“Listen here, Stafford,” Richard said the next morning, approaching him in the corridor before the sun had even come up.

The Duke of Buckingham gave him an intent glance, less surprised to see Richard up this early than he was to see him already scheming. Usually Richard didn’t come up with a wicked scheme until well after breakfast. “You’ve need of me, sir? I can’t imagine what it could be at this hour.”

“Never mind that,” Richard growled. “Yes, I need you. I need you to figure out a way to get a baby and make it look… legitimate.”

Buckingham paused in thought. “I’m not sure that’s possible, sir,” he said. “You could have it out that you’d sired a bastard and decided out of the kindness of your heart to raise him, but he wouldn’t be able to serve as an heir, either to Gloucester or to… the throne,” he lowered his voice at the last moment.

Richard glared. “Do _not_ speak of the throne here! You never know who might be listening in. In any case, that won’t do for Anne. I already told her that I am tragically and medically impotent.”

“Indeed?” Buckingham chuckled. “Well, it isn’t quite a lie.”

Richard shook his head, somber. Sometimes it seemed so odd to him, how well people ignored the pitch of his voice and the fact that he’d never grown a beard, even well into his adulthood. His deformities, surely, had some to do with that, as well as his well-established place as a warrior and a son of York. But beyond that, he often couldn’t help but wonder if people took second looks at him and suspected. Or at least wondered.

“It was not a lie,” he agreed. “But it did get me thinking about finding an heir some other way.”

“I beg your pardon, sir?”

“I am talking about adopting a child. Some poor dead nobleman’s son, or even a child born out of wedlock and of uncertain heritage. Look here, Stafford. The bloodline of York means precious little to _me_. My mother would have had me cut from the family line in infancy could she have had her way.”

“She would, but if that’s the case…” Buckingham looked dubious. “People would know, sir. They’d talk. The child would have to be of your blood and Anne’s.”

Richard shook his head. “Suppose Anne is not seen around here for a few months? Suppose she and I go on a journey and when she returns home, she’s had a child by me? Do you think anyone would question it?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Well, so do I, but to hell with them. Here’s the pretty thing, Stafford: There are so many rumors about me that when you get right down to it, no one knows truth from fallacy. Was I born with teeth and claws and a wretched tail? Is it true I strangled six cats when I lay in my cradle and sucked their blood and marrow? Was I always such a foul brute, terrorizing my mother and abusing my brothers? Who’s to say?” Richard shrugged, smiling cruelly. “And surely, when Anne arrives back in Gloucester with a baby, rumors will fly again. How I stole the child and swore my wife to silence, and threatened every servant and squire in the area with death if so much as a word slipped. But how is that any more unbelievable than the notion that I was born on the very night of the Wild Hunt?”

Buckingham gave him a thoughtful stare. “I suppose it isn’t. You’re fine with rumor? This doesn’t bother you at all? And the idea that, in this case, the rumors would be true and could be potentially found out… that isn’t a source of worry?”

Richard was silent. “No,” he said at last. “It would be anyone’s word against mine. I’m not afraid of a few lies, and I’m certainly not afraid of the truth. You have no _idea_ what sort of things people say about me, Stafford.”

Buckingham looked away soberly. “I think I do, my lord,” he said. And in truth, he was no stranger to the sorts of talk that circulated alehouses and church cloisters about Richard of Gloucester. Buckingham’s loyalty and fondness for his lord consistently drove him to step in, correct these wrongs, but people believed what they were wont. In return, Buckingham himself was deemed a conniving sneak and a bane who would lick the very blood off Richard’s boots. And perhaps they weren’t all wrong.

“It doesn’t matter,” Richard’s reply was brusque. “I’ve already made up my mind. Anne doesn’t know a thing. And my brother the king may well be willing to be lenient with me, even if we should get found out. You know how little he can refuse me,” he gave Buckingham a sly glance. “And you, either.”

Buckingham took a deep breath and nodded sharply. He hated that Richard knew about his inability to argue back, but… it was true. He could hardly refuse his lord anything. Terrible though he was, he entranced Buckingham like no other man could. “Very well, my lord,” he said finally. “If that’s what you wish, I’ll see what I can do.”

“Very good,” Richard said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.” With a dreadful look of triumph he turned and shuffled down the hall until he was no more than a spidery shadow, skulking in the distance.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward of Middleham is born... not to Richard and Anne, but close enough.

Edward was the name of the child. He was named for Richard’s brother, the king, or more begrudgingly, for Anne’s first husband, although she insisted that was not the case. He looked like a baby; small, wrinkly, and virtually blind. His hair was dark like Richard’s and his eyes, when they were open, were somewhat of Anne’s color.

Richard didn’t know where Buckingham had found him, and did not ask. For his own sake, although he could keep secrets like no mortal man could, it was probably better that he didn’t know. At least in one respect he could be honest. But he had to admit, Buckingham’s deception had been an outstanding one. Anyone who looked on this babe would be no less than certain that he was theirs, and they would be wrong.

Richard had always thought babies pesky and this one was no different. Sure, he seldom cried, but he smelled bad and was ugly and hairy. Which was good, since Richard assumed his mother had felt the same about him and might feel that way towards her grandson as well, which would fool her about his parentage. All the same, he had to admit he got a bit of relishing pride out of boasting about his son around the towns and cities. He only hoped Anne would see the joy in him.

“Well?” he asked her one day when he found her alone with Edward. “What do you think of him?” He swatted idly at a passing moth, trying to look nonchalant, but he was eager to hear her answer.

“What can I say?” she asked. She was looking down at the boy with an unreadable expression. “It’s all a lie. He isn’t ours. He’s just a piece in one of your schemes, or a bribe to keep me docile,” she shook her head. “He is so sweet. And you’ve used him for cruelty.”

“Did you not expect that? Look, if you don’t want him…” Richard breathed in sharply. “Well, there’s nothing I can do to convince you to want him. But he’s all you’re going to get.”

Anne’s blank expression changed to a mix of dismay and sorrow. “He’s fine, Richard,” she sighed. “He’s just fine.”

***

So, that had been that. But as the days wore on and turned to months, it seemed to Richard that Anne began to slowly warm to the little boy. Ned, as they’d eventually started calling him, was easy to love. He was a quiet, attentive child who seldom cried and loved to snuggle close to his caretakers. It was very clear, Richard thought with a bit of amusement, that the child was not his. No baby of his blood would have been so… cute.

Moreover, he found with a touch of irony that Anne would have likely not bonded with Ned so well if he had been theirs by birth. True, she would have carried him and nurtured him with her body as women did, but with Richard’s heritage in him, she would have always been looking over her shoulder to see if her baby boy was growing up to be a monster.

Little Ned was no monster, though. Just an ordinary boy of possibly common lineage. But he would be king one day. Richard would see to that.

And so Richard was content, thinking he had won the day. He had secured an heir, appeased his wife, and all was right with the world. Anne would never know his secret. Truly, his cleverness knew no bounds, except for one small problem.

Richard had a brother.

Anne came in one day to find Richard at his books, and when he looked absentmindedly up at her, he could tell at once that something was wrong. She had looked at him before with fury and fear and loathing beyond measure, but this was an expression he’d never seen on her before. It was almost like guilt, and not unlike horror. “Well?” Richard asked. He let no unease creep into his voice.

“Why did you bring me Edward?” Anne asked. “Truthfully?”

“Because you wanted a babe and we needed an heir. Why else?”

“Why could you not give me children of your own?” Her voice rose slightly. “You… you said you could not. But why?”

“I was born impotent. God, woman, what’s got into you? I told you think months ago and you were fine with it then. I was born with a lame leg and a bad arm; it’s not a failure of the imagination to presume I’d be defective in some _other_ member.”

She shook her head slowly. “George…”

 _George._ Damn him. “Ah,” Richard scoffed, brushing away his internal rush of rage and shock with a dismissal wave of his hand. “He’s been telling you that old stupid lie? About how I was born female and my mother named me after her? No,” he shook his head. “I assure you, I was not.”

“I want to see.” Anne said. Her voice was firm.

“…What?”

“I want to see you unclothed. Show me.”

Richard was taken aback by that sudden demand. “You _must_ have gone mad if you think I’ll answer to that!” he snapped. “I’ve nothing to prove to anyone. Not even you and certainly not George. That man spends half his life sodden in cheap ale if he can’t scrounge up enough for a good wine. His brain’s been addled since he was fifteen and you’re going to believe him?”

Anne’s mouth was drawn into a tight line, and her eyes were wide. “Tell me again why you wouldn’t sleep with me. Because if it were true that you’re unable to, you wouldn’t be so shy about this now.”

“Shy!” Richard spat. “How dare you – ah. But look. How can I blame you for being stupid enough to fall for George’s lies? I thought you were clever, but I’m clearly wrong.” He looked her over, his eyes burning with malice. “So, stupid though you may be, I’ll tell you this, and you better learn it quickly – _do not speak to me of this again_. Is that understood?”

Anne nodded slowly, and Richard relaxed a bit. Between them passed an unspoken understanding. She _knew_ he was lying, and he knew she knew. The secret need not be admitted – it was out. But with Anne’s greater knowledge came added danger. If she ever breathed a word of it to anyone, she was sure to pay for it, and she knew that too.

“Now then. If you’ll excuse me, Anne. I have to go have a word with my dear brother George,” Richard growled, and left her alone. He was sick to death of brothers. Edward, with his idiotic encouragement. George, with his loose tongue. If he’d had it his way he would have none of them at all – no brothers, no wife, no children.

Then and only then could he rest easy.

Then and only then would he perhaps be free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that's that! I may work with this concept later, in other things. But for now (and admittedly since there was a time limit) I decided to end it with Anne finding out and Richard not revealing the truth.
> 
> Is there any stakes that WOULD push him to admit it, I wonder? ...Probably not. He's Richard. Being honest is NOT what he generally does. ^^
> 
> In any case, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
